One Book launch brings India to Stevenage

To celebrate the third year of One Book for Stevenage we gathered local communities together for the launch of this year’s book Q&A by Vikras Swarup.

1book4stevenage is a long-term project to promote reading and to help generate community spirit by encouraging as many people as possible to read the same book at the same time.  It’s the only campaign of its kind in the South of England.

This year’s author is Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup who acknowledges his fiction is born out of his hyperactive imagination.

His story is about eighteen-year-old Ram Mohammad Thomas who is in prison after answering twelve questions correctly on a TV quiz show to win one billion rupees.

The producers arrest him, convinced he is a cheat.  As this fantastic story unfolds we find out about twelve extraordinary events in street-kid Ram's life that give him the crucial quiz answers. In his tale of modern India, Swarup gives us a book packed full of comedy, tragedy and joy.

At the launch last Friday, (20 April) guests were treated to fabulous Indian cuisine, music and dancing.

Taste of India’s Ali Khan hosted a ‘Who wants to be a millionaire? style quiz where competitors battled to become quiz champion. 

The launch is just the beginning of a fantastic list of events throughout the year.  For more information including future One Book events, telephone 01438 242179.